Rob Horgan

High prices to keep UK gas demand low this winter

Ofgem: ‘Won’t pay’ fears have not materialised

UK must plan for hotter summers without coal

Octopus calls for extended DFS to end coal use

Octopus Energy has called for customer flexibility to be a permanent solution for balancing the energy system and an end to the reliance on back-up coal generators. It comes after Uniper was instructed to fire up two back-up coal-fired power units this week to cope with additional electricity demand during the ongoing heatwave. Octopus claims that making the service available to all 17.3 million UK homes with smart meters would be enough to entirely replace coal as a back-up source of power.

EDF secures funding for space-based solar study

EDF will lead a study exploring the value of introducing space-based solar power into the UK’s grid. It is one of eight projects to win government funding to develop space-based solar initiatives. Other winning projects include Cambridge University, who will develop ultra-lightweight solar panels to be connected to satellites that can function in the high-radiation conditions of space, and Queen Mary University in London, who are working on a wireless system to enable the solar power collected in space to be transferred to earth.

ESO fires up two coal units to deal with heatwave demand

Weekend press: Hot weather piles pressure on water companies

Ofwat and Defra face legal action over sewage spills

Two firms fined for impersonating National Grid

Two energy firms have been hit with six figures fines for making unlawful marketing calls while falsely claiming to represent other organisations including National Grid and the government.  The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has fined the two companies a total of £250,000 for “bombarding” people and businesses on the UK’s “do not call” register with unlawful marketing calls.

Water companies to be legally obliged to share data